Canada calls for Sri Lanka truce as Tamils hold candlelight vigils

September 30th, 2009 Vigils planned nationwide for hikers held in IranBERKELEY, Calif. — Supporters of three American hikers detained in Iran are planning vigils around the country to draw attention to their plight.

July 6th, 2009 Al Sharpton calls for 'love vigils' for JacksonLOS ANGELES — The Rev. Al Sharpton has delivered a sermon in Los Angeles where he called for nationwide "love vigils" for Michael Jackson on Tuesday.

May 30th, 2009 TORONTO - Hundreds of Tamils protested at the Sri Lankan consulate here Friday against the attack on the Canadian high commission in Colombo earlier this week. Scores of Sri Lankan protesters had ransacked the Canadian mission Wednesday to protest against what they called Canadian "support" for Tamil Tigers.

May 14th, 2009 TORONTO - In their biggest rally here as part of ongoing protests in Canada, more than 15,000 Tamils Wednesday virtually laid siege to the Ontario provincial assembly. But a new twist was added to their protest when a helicopter with a banner 'Protect Canada - Stop Tamil Tigers' circled over the crowd.

May 6th, 2009 TORONTO - Canadian academics have launched a campaign to seek their government's intervention in Sri Lanka to end the conflict between government forces and the Tamil Tigers. In a letter to Canadian prime minister, a group of academics - called Canadian Academics for Tamil Rights - has urged the government to put pressure on Colombo to end the bloody conflict.

April 28th, 2009 TORONTO - Sri Lankan Tamils have warned of a civil war on the island nation if Colombo does not reciprocate to the Tigers' call for a ceasefire and called for strong action by the Canadian government. Sri Lankan Tamil here staged night-long protests in the heart of the city Monday and wrote a strongly worded letter to Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

April 28th, 2009 TORONTO - Sri Lankan Tamils who staged night-long protests here Monday have warned of a civil war on the island nation if Colombo does not reciprocate to the Tigers' call for a ceasefire. In a strongly worded letter to Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper Monday, the Canadian Tamil Congress (CTC) said: 'Tamil Canadians are fearful that in the next 24 to 48 hours a civilian bloodbath will ensue if the government of Sri Lanka does not reciprocate the LTTE's (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) offer to a ceasefire.' Calling for immediate and strong action by the Canadian government, CTC president Sri Ranjan said in the letter, 'Canada must force the government of Sri Lanka to reciprocate the immediate ceasefire by cutting all diplomatic and economic relations with Sri Lanka.' The Tamil organisation also urged the Canadian parliamentarians to put pressure on the government to intervene in the conflict immediately.

April 24th, 2009 CHENNAI/BANGALORE - From indifference to concern - the attitude of Indian Tamils to the plight of their ethnic brethren caught in the fighting between the Sri Lankan army and Tamil Tiger rebels in the island nation varies widely. 'We are emotional about it but frankly the fighting is happening far away,' said S.K.

April 24th, 2009 BERLIN - About 1,500 Germany-based Tamils demonstrated Friday near the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin for a halt to the fighting in Sri Lanka, where civilians are caught in the cross-fire in a government offensive against Tamil rebels. A spokeswoman said: 'We are demonstrating again to press for the German government to do more to help Tamils in Sri Lanka.' The Brandenburg Gate is a central-city landmark which is much visited by tourists.

April 13th, 2009 OTTAWA - Protesting Tamils in Canada have sought Sri Lanka's ouster from the Commonwealth and international trade and travel embargo against it for the 'genocide' of innocent civilians in the conflict zone. The Tamils, who have been protesting outside parliament for the past six days, have also launched a hunger strike to draw attention to the 'use of chemical weapons by Sri Lanka to wipe out the community from the island nation.'' They have vowed to continue their sit-in till the Canadian government and the global community take concrete steps to end the war in Sri Lanka.

February 16th, 2009 TORONTO - A Canadian Tamil group has hit out at the United Nations for accusing Sri Lanka's Tamil Tigers of preventing civilians from leaving the war zone and killing those who tried. The Canadian Tamil Congress (CTC) said the UN allegation only helped Sri Lanka to commit what it said was 'genocide' against the Tamil community.

February 16th, 2009 TORONTO - Refuting a United Nations report from Colombo accusing the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) of stopping civilians from leaving the conflict zone and killing those who tried to flee, the Canadian Tamil Congress (CTC) said Monday such statements only helped Sri Lanka in its genocide against Tamils. ``In the past, the UN has denied such statements.

February 12th, 2009 TORONTO - The powerful Canadian Tamil Congress (CTC) has again called upon Canada to put pressure on Sri Lanka to stop 'genocide' against the civilians in the conflict zone. 'For far too long, the Sri Lankan government has operated with impunity, violating international human rights law and international humanitarian law, resulting in untold loss of lives, separation of families and psychological and mental suffering for the Tamil population,' CTC spokesman David Poopalapillai said Thursday.

February 3rd, 2009 TORONTO - Tamils in Canada will march on the nation's parliament and take out candlelight vigils across cities to mark Sri Lanka's Independence Day Wednesday in protest against ``genocide'' in the island nation. Top political leaders are likely to address the rally being organized by the Canadian Tamil Congress and supported by 70-odd national bodies.

January 29th, 2009 TORONTO - A top Indo-Canadian leader in the Canadian government has urged Sri Lanka to work for a political solution to the Tamil problem. Deepak Obhrai, who is parliamentary secretary to the Canadian foreign affairs minister, said in the nation's parliament Thursday that a long-term political solution is the only way out of the ongoing crisis in Sri Lanka.